Wings, Women, and War: Soviet Airwomen in World War II Combat

The Soviet Union was the first nation to allow women pilots to fly combat missions. During World War II, the Red Air Force formed three all-female units -- grouped into separate fighter, dive bomber, and night bomber regiments -- while also recruiting other women to fly with mostly male units. The author chronicles the creation, organization, and leadership of these regiments, as well as the experiences of the pilots, navigators, bomb loaders, mechanics, and others who made up their ranks, all within the context of the Soviet air war on the Eastern Front.